Fleming Island, Florida – Blue-green algae has invaded Doctors Lake again, turning parts of the lake a bright green color.
The Clay County Health Department said blue-green algae can produce harmful toxins. The health department is advising lake residents and visitors to take the following precautions:
Learn more | Blue-green algae warning issued for St. Johns River near Orange Park
• Do not drink, swim, use personal watercraft or come into contact with water in areas where visible algae blooms are present.
• If you come into contact with algae or water that is discolored or has an unpleasant odor, wash skin and clothing with soap and water.
• Keep pets and livestock away from the area and out of the water. Bodies of water with algae blooms are not safe for animals. Pets and livestock should use alternative water sources when algae blooms are present.
• Do not cook or wash dishes in water contaminated with algal blooms. Boiling the water does not remove the toxins.
• It is safe to eat healthy fish fillets caught in freshwater lakes experiencing algae blooms. Rinse the fish fillets with tap or bottled water, remove the organs, and cook the fish thoroughly.
• Don’t eat shellfish in areas with algae blooms.
News4JAX meteorologist Mark Collins said these types of algae blooms tend to occur during the summer months.
“What you have in the water is actually floating plants. They’re like phytoplankton, which is the base of the food chain, and when there are nutrients in the water, the phytoplankton feed on them and they multiply and create blooms like this. How do these nutrients get in the water? Fertilizers. Septic tanks that aren’t properly connected. All of that leaches into the water. This is called nutrient enrichment. This process causes excess nutrients to get into the water and create blooms like this,” Collins said.
Environmental experts say the algae not only turns the water green and slimy, but also produces a foul odor.
“The situation is bad. It’s terrible right now,” said Lisa Rinaman, spokeswoman for the St. Johns Riverkeepers.
Linaman, from Riverkeeper, a river watchdog group that fights to protect the river from pollutants, said the blue-green algae bloom is not something to be taken lightly.
“Don’t touch it, don’t inhale it, it’s best to avoid boats because their wakes can kick up the toxins and release them into the air. Don’t swim or eat fish because they can be highly toxic,” Linaman said.
Those symptoms include dermatitis if the water comes into contact with the skin, stress on the respiratory system if the toxins are breathed in, and stomach upset if the water is ingested, she said. Long-term effects include neurological problems and liver damage, Linaman said.
News4JAX spoke with boater David Taylor at the shoreline boat launch on Doctors Lake, one of several locations where blue-green algae was detected. Taylor had just finished boating and fishing on the lake, and he disputed the health department’s warning.
“It’s not an issue for me. Right now, I don’t have any health issues and I’m an old guy,” Taylor said. “I’ve been doing this for years. It’s here every year and I’ve seen worse times and better times. It’s there, for sure, but I don’t think it’s as big an issue or environmental problem as it’s being made out to be in the news. But at the same time, what can I say?”
Environmental experts say nature will have to take its course before the water levels return to normal.
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